Growing up in the Cade Manor, somewhere between London and Cambridge, Amaris
Cade has been brought up in near aristocracy. She is of course, descended from
an old and exceedingly wealthy bloodline. Her mother was French - Camille -
and a graduate of Beauxabaton, while her father - Timothy - was a proud graduate
from Hogwarts, of the Slytherin House. While her mother never had any career,
as she and Timothy had met during the summer of their last year - becoming engaged
on their subsequent graduation, up until a few years ago, Amaris' father had
been the legal representative of a large firm involved in potions. For whatever
reason, he left that job a few years ago, and since has lived luxuriously on
his almost obscene inheritance, occasionally buying and selling the occasional
art-work or artefact.
Since Amaris Cade was four years of age, she's been an only child, but before
that she had an older brother - three years. This young boy, Timothy Cade the
younger, or Young Master Timmy, as the household elves and servants, died of
a mysterious illness, which, a year later, on Amaris' fifth birthday, Camille
Cade, her mother, died suddenly with identical symptoms. She had never been
strong since the birth of Amaris, and whether or not Timothy the Elder, blamed
his young daughter for the loss of his wife, is not clear.
For whatever reason, she was never close to or fond of her formidable father.
She respected him, yes, but her only confidant was, and still is, Jasmine, an
orphan, not magical enough to be accepted into Hogwarts, who is a little less
than ten years older than her charge. Timothy Cade had taken Jasmine, a then
not-quite fifteen year old into his household, principally for the purpose of
occupying his always-wanting-to-learn- daughter.
While Amaris had no real interest in learning magic at this young age, she wanted
to be taught in social etiquette - though she didn't call it as such. She wanted
to be taught 'polite thingies, like daddy does when he gets all dressed up.'
Jasmine was only too glad to teach her, thankful for a place in such a rich
household. And so, from a very early age, Amaris was taught in dancing, embroidery,
music, and manners. One slightly embarrassing outing, Jasmine took the little
lady to a luncheon. Amaris, in all her frills, took a liking to the witch she
was seated next to, and then proceeded to correct her grip of the fork, and
the way she drank her tea.
While obviously Amaris has no need for such a governess anymore, on her request,
her father kept Jasmine in service, where she supervises the house-elves, and
takes messages for Mr Cade, and in holidays, keeps the young mistress of the
manor company, and helps her with various bits of homework, not to mention preparing
for the coming term.
Overall, her four previous years at Hogwarts have been reasonably uneventful
- neither she or her friends likely targets for the Dark Lord's wrath, and as
such, the attitude and general feeling of darkness in the school and wizarding
world has largely unaffected this haughty, but charming, beautiful, but frequently
derogatory heiress. She has achieved slightly above average marks, though not
much above, perhaps with the untested ability to do more. She has had no steady
boyfriend, only the occasional short-term fling, and nor does she have any particular
conquest in mind. Amaris has many acquaintances, mainly for appearance sake,
but only a small group of close friends - apart from Jasmine. These are the
so called 'gang' mentioned by Sirius Black ch27 GoF They are, as listed in GoF,
Rosier, Wilkes, Lestrange and Snape.
However, in the last year, a key part of Amaris' life has changed dramatically.
While having no 'boyfriend' to speak of, she is no longer 'unattached'. As is
reasonably common in the high families of the wizarding world, she is betrothed,
or engaged, so to speak. Although younger than most, Amaris is party to an arranged
engagement with fellow Slytherin, Anthony Lestrange. It is a win-win situation
for both families. The Lestrange side receives the long sought-after money,
and the Cade family regains much of its lost influence. But as far as the other
students, or indeed the other members of the wizarding world know, Anthony Lestrange
and Amaris Cade are simply friends - unusually trusting of each other, perhaps,
but only friends.
At a glance, Amaris Cade is an admired Slytherin, disliked by few, but equally,
known well by few. She appears well balanced, secure, and not to mention rich,
with a promising future ahead of her.
**note on engagement: Over the last year, or so, families have been talking,
and Anthony Lestrange and Amaris Cade have become engaged. No romantic interest
here, on either part, for now, and both are perfectly fine with that. But it's
not something widely splashed about - for now, only family and the two parties
involved are aware of the situation. To the rest of the school - and indeed,
the wizarding world, Amaris and Anthony are simply friends. It is a win-win
situation for both sides. The Lestrange family is not as rich as it used to
be, nor as rich as it's members would like - though they still have much influence
in the wizarding world. The Cade family, on the other hand, is extremely wealthy,
but not nearly as influential. What used to be a prominent Wizarding family
faded somewhat into the background, since Camille Cade, Amaris' mother and Timothy,
her brother, died, and, probably due to grief, Timothy Cade, father, ceased
much activity in the visable world. So when Brutus Lestrange approached him,
about the proposed betrothal of his son, and the daughter Timothy barely knew,
it did not take too much persuasion to agree to such a seemingly benefiting
situation.